Clear, powerful performance. Does not distort on deep bass tracks. Attractive design. Drivers on each side make for a larger field of sound. Long battery life.

Cons

Expensive. Not for big bass lovers.

Bottom Line

If you've got the money to spend, the Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay A2 is a great-looking portable Bluetooth speaker that delivers sound quality and battery life that won't disappoint.

Believe it or not, the $399 BeoPlay A2 is actually a relatively budget-friendly offering from high-end television and audio purveyor Bang & Olufsen. After all, the A2 almost seems inexpensive when compared with the company's $2,699 BeoPlay A9. Unlike the furniture-sized A9 speaker system, however, the BeoPlay A2 is a small, portable Bluetooth speakermade for taking your tunes on the go. It delivers clear, powerful performance that doesn't distort on deep bass tracks. It also has an attractive, stylish design with a clever twist: Drivers on both sides of the speaker make for a wider field of sound that you can hear clearly no matter where you are in a room. It isn't quite as bass-heavy as the Bose SoundLink III, but if you have the money to spend and you're looking for a powerful, balanced sound signature in a distinctive design, the BeoPlay A2 won't disappoint.

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Design and SetupLike most B&O products, the BeoPlay A2 has a modern, eye-catching look. The rectangular shape is actually far more staid than many of the company's more outlandish designs, but premium touches abound. The speaker measures 5.6 by 10.1 by 1.7 inches (HWD) and weighs 2.4 pounds. The core of the unit is made from extruded aluminum, while an attached full-grain leather strap on the left hand side makes it easy to pick up and tote around. I was sent the gray model, but the speaker also comes in black or green. No matter the color, it's easy to picture the speaker in a tastefully appointed living room, or a trendy boutique hotel.

For the price, I'm a little surprised the speaker grilles are made of plastic rather than aluminum, but the plastic feels sturdy and has the added benefit of detaching to reveal the drivers on either side. The system has two sets of 3/4-inch tweeters, two 3-inch drivers, and two 3-inch passive bass radiators. There's a jack for the included power adapter on the right side of the speaker, along with a 3.5mm Aux input and a USB output that allows you to charge other devices. B&O claims the speaker's rechargeable Li-ion battery is good for up to an impressive 24 hours of music playback. That will largely depend on the volume you listen to your music, but it's still good news if you forget to bring your power adapter on a weekend trip.

There are three buttons on top of the speaker: Power, Volume Up/Down, and Bluetooth. Setting it up is super simple. All you have to do is hold down the Bluetooth button until the status light to the left of the Power button changes from solid white to flashing blue. From there, simply locate the speaker on the Bluetooth device you wish to pair and connect. The speaker connects via Bluetooth 4.0 and remembers up to eight devices, which makes it easy to take turns playing tunes.

Performance and ConclusionsOn tracks with a lot of challenging deep bass content, like The Knife's "Silent Shout," the BeoPlay A2 doesn't distort at all even at maximum volumes, which you would hope for at this price point. Unlike the boosted bass on the SoundLink III, however, the A2 offers a cleaner delivery. That doesn't mean the speaker is lacking for bass response. It just places more of an emphasis on the high-mids, which actually makes tracks like this sound more alive and dynamic, so you won't even miss the additional thump. But if it's big bass you're after, you might not fully appreciate the sound signature here, which skews towards a slightly flatter response.

On Radiohead's "Everything In Its Right Place," the opening synth notes are imbued with just enough rich, deep bass presence. Again, it's not quite as much as the SoundLink, but when Thom Yorke's warped vocals enter the mix, they sound clearer and more balanced on the BeoPlay A2. There's some background hiss that comes through in the quieter moments of the song, but I didn't find this to be an issue on most of the other tracks I listened to.

The guitar notes throughout Yo La Tengo's "Green Arrow" come through with a sense of depth and warmth. And the speaker's high-mid presence really lets the background buzzing of crickets and shaken percussion shine through. The BeoPlay A2 was able to handle any genre I threw at it with aplomb, and it gets loud enough that you can use it to power your next party.

The double-sided design of the BeoPlay A2 is another high point. No matter where you place the speaker, it pumps the same amount of sound from the front and back, which makes just about anywhere you stand a sweet spot. Unlike most front-firing speakers, I actually liked placing the BeoPlay A2 in the center of the room, since it allowed for the most equal sound distribution. And once again, this makes the speaker ideal for parties, since it ensures a steady, even flow of music.

For $400, a portable Bluetooth speaker needs to deliver some serious sound quality, and luckily, the Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay A2 doesn't disappoint. It's one of the best-looking portable Bluetooth speakers around, with a smart design that really expands your field of sound. It also delivers more battery life than most other portable options on the market. That said, it's still $100 more than our Editors' Choice, the Bose SoundLink III, which offers similar power and deeper bass response. I prefer the slightly flatter, more balanced sound signature of the BeoPlay, but I imagine most people will be happy paying $100 less for the booming bass offered by Bose. If it's style you're after, the Libratone Zipp is another attractive option. It offers strong audio performance in an eye-catching, fabric-covered cylindrical design, but it's even more expensive than the A2.

If you don't need portability, the $400 Harmon Kardon Aura is a great-looking one-piece wireless system that delivers even more power than the A2. Still, if you're looking for something portable, and you've got the money to spend, the BeoPlay A2 is definitely worth considering.

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Alex Colon is the managing editor of PCMag's consumer electronics team. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in English Writing and Literature from Pace University and got his start editing books before deciding technology would probably be a lot more fun.
Though he does the majority of his reading and writing on various digital displays, Alex still loves to sit down and read a good, old-fashioned, paper and ink book in his free time. (Not that there's anything wrong with ebook readers.)
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